Measures to improve police confiscation of drugs

News item | 04-05-2011 | 15:25

Minister Opstelten of Security and Justice is taking immediate measures to improve the processing of drugs confiscated by the Dutch police. Opstelten is taking the measures pursuant to an investigation by the Public Order and Safety Inspectorate (OOV Inspectorate) and the Government Audit Department into this subject. The investigation shows that the approach continues to stagnate, promises are not kept and the agreed results are not achieved. In response to the report, Opstelten indicates that it must be clear that this should not have happened. The investigation and Minister Opstelten's response were sent to the Lower House today.

The report shows that the introduction and rollout of a uniform national protocol, necessary to implement improvement measures from 2007, have not been successful even after repeated warnings. The final conclusion concerning the implementation is clear: the approach continues to stagnate, promises are not kept and the agreed results are not achieved.

In response to the report, Minister Opstelten has indicated that he has made it clear to the parties involved that he cannot and will not accept this. The process related to confiscated drugs must be free of risks. The police forces have ensured the Minister that they immediately implemented measures. Opstelten will supervise the police forces closely in this respect. These measures will resolve the problems that have been identified.

Main measures

As police force manager of the KLPD, Minister Opstelten has charged a service head with the KLPD as of 1 February 2011 with making the process of confiscating drugs within the KLPD uniform;

A steering group has been formed by the director of criminal investigations that has been charged with the management of this project;

This summer, a single, central storage area for confiscated drugs will be created at the KLPD in Driebergen, which will have sufficient facilities for forensic investigation;

As of 1 October 2011, the confiscation of drugs will occur according to protocol at all police forces. The protocol that applies to all police forces has since been established;

The Confiscation Intervention Team (BIT) was formed on 1 April 2011 to bring the confiscation of drugs by the police forces in order. This team will supervise and make uniform the rollout of the process of confiscation of all goods;

The confiscation of drugs will be prioritised in the implementation of national protocols.